Citrus Cheesecake

Method
Prep:40min  ›  Cook:1hr15min  ›  Extra time:8hr chilling  ›  Ready in:9hr55min 

1. Preheat oven to 230 C / Gas 8. Butter a 23cm springform cake tin.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and 5 tablespoons sugar. Add butter and process until coarse crumbs form. With machine running, add yolk mixture and blend until moist clumps form. Press into bottom and halfway up sides of prepared cake tin. Freeze base for 10 minutes.
3. Brush base lightly with egg white. Bake until base is pale golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on rack while preparing filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 180 C / Gas 4.
4. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and 325g sugar until smooth. Beat in cornflour, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, orange zest, lime zest, 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in soured cream. Pour filling over baked base.
5. Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until puffed and cracked around edges and centre moves only slightly when tin is gently shaken. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.
6. In a saucepan over medium heat, boil marmalade and 2 teaspoons lemon juice until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Spread warm glaze on top of cheesecake. Chill cheesecake 10 minutes. Remove rim from tin and transfer cake to serving plate.

Cheesecake tips

Don't overbake: While it may look underdone, a cheesecake is actually done when the centre is still wobbly. Residual heat 'carries over' and the centre continues to cook once out of the oven.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven to cool on a rack, or simply leave the oven door closed, turn off the heat and let the cheesecake cool undisturbed for at least 1 hour. This helps prevent the cheesecake from sinking in the centre. After chilling, the once-wobbly centre should firm up beautifully!
Bake in a water bath: The most effective way to bake a cheesecake evenly without browning the top is to bake in a water bath. Since water evaporates at boiling point, the water bath will never get hotter than 100C, no matter the oven temperature. This means that the outer edge of your cheesecake won't bake faster than the centre, which can cause it to sink and crack.
Mixing matters: Make sure your cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature before mixing, or you'll end up with lumps in your cheesecake. If you do end up with lumps in the batter, give it a quick spin in the food processor for silky smooth results.
Don't forget to chill: A cheesecake needs several hours to chill and set, making it a perfect make-ahead dessert.

Cheesecake tips

For more easy tips on how to make a perfect cheesecake, check out our Perfect cheesecake tips how-to guide.